The Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Shannon Viera, IOM, has been selected as the chamber’s new president/CEO. The chamber’s board of directors voted unanimously to approve Viera for the position after a search committee that reported to the executive committee conducted an extensive nationwide search. The chamber partnered with Anissa Starnes, Swingbridge Partners, LLC, out of Charlotte to provide oversight for the executive search. Viera will begin work officially the first of this month. She will be relocating to the area with her husband, Christian, and their twin sons, Aidan and Max.

“I am honored and extremely excited to join the Statesville Chamber,” said Viera. “The chamber’s work is vital to the business community, and I look forward to working with the chamber’s board, volunteers, staff, and greater community to grow the organization and to promote the interest and ensure the livelihood of local businesses. After meeting with the committee and touring the community, I knew this was the right step for me and my family, and I can’t wait to jump in and get started.”

Viera most recently served as the president/CEO of the Brunswick County Chamber, located in Shallotte, North Carolina, where she served at the helm of the organization for six years. Shannon is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management program at the University of Georgia. From 2008 to 2012, she served as the executive director for the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (CACCE). While serving in this capacity, she simultaneously served as the director of special events and programs for the Columbia Chamber in South Carolina. While working with the Columbia Chamber, she managed the total resource campaign with more than fifty volunteers and raised a total of $1.2 million for the chamber. Shannon is a 2003 graduate of Columbia College and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

During her tenure as president/CEO of the Brunswick Chamber, the organization achieved regional accreditation and was recognized on multiple occasions for their marketing, communications, and innovative programming through the Carolinas Association of Chamber Executives. Under her leadership, the Brunswick Chamber also planned and executed the North Carolina Oyster Festival which brings more than 30,000 attendees each year.

Viera brings an upbeat attitude and a passion for supporting local businesses to the Statesville Chamber.

Chair of the chamber’s search committee and past chamber board chair, Julia Wilson, said, “The interest level and response to our search within our community and from across the country was high. We had many qualified applicants. Shannon Viera was the most qualified, the best fit for our community, and the ideal choice.” Jeff Smith, 2017-2018 chairman of the chamber board of directors and president/CEO of Piedmont HealthCare, states “Shannon brings a wealth of experience in management and chamber operations to the chamber. With her exceptional background and experience, she is uniquely positioned to represent every stakeholder in our business community; she is an experienced chamber executive and a proven leader with an obvious commitment to supporting local businesses of all sizes, and her wealth of innovative programming experience will be an asset to our chamber. We are pleased to welcome Shannon and her family to our community and feel that her leadership and proven track record will complement the chamber and keep the organization on a path of success for the future.”